At other times, it simply depends on which members had already planned on hanging around town during the break and so don’t mind schlepping up to the Capitol to bang a gavel for an empty room. (Republicans, inconveniently, do not hold a Senate seat in any of those states.) Seniority counts too, with members lower down the food chain frequently called to serve. ![]() Geography matters: Lawmakers from Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware often pull duty for proximity’s sake. The leader’s office refuses to disclose ahead of time which members have been tapped, although there are a few rough guidelines that tend to be followed. ![]() Whenever a recess looms on the calendar, the majority party’s leadership asks a few members to be on hand to oversee enough quickie sessions to occur every three days. The whole pro forma process has a makeshift, vaguely sketchy vibe to it. (Reid’s office declined to comment on whether they regret having popped the cork on this particular genie.) That distinction goes to Democratic Leader Harry Reid, who pioneered the practice during the waning years of George W. cannot take the blame for this procedural obstruction. And although this Republican majority has shown a special fondness for bogging down nominations, McConnell and Co. Partisan relations being what they are, the practice is pretty much standard nowadays during breaks of more than a few days. Not that it requires a Supreme Court standoff to prompt “gavel-in, gavel-out” sessions. And with Senate Republicans currently refusing even to consider President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court, a recess appointment is something Majority Leader Mitch McConnell simply will not risk. A recess of that length opens the door to recess appointments by the president. Except that, if this tiny pro forma session had not taken place (nor the three more upcoming one like it scheduled for the break), the Senate would be in recess for more than 10 days-which, as any legislator can tell you, is a no-no. It was, by and large, a scorching waste of time for everyone who had to be on hand to make it happen. No business was conducted, and no member besides Cornyn bothered showing up. Thursday, gave the gavel a closing bang, and made for the door.Īll told, Monday’s session lasted a whopping 35 seconds. And with that, Cornyn declared the body adjourned until 11 a.m. The lanky, bespectacled clerk rose and delivered a one-sentence order appointing Cornyn chairman for the day. on the dot, he gaveled the empty room to order, and, per the short script someone had thoughtfully left him, directed the legislative clerk to read “a communication to the Senate” from Senate president pro tempore Orrin Hatch. Charcoal suit sharp, white hair gleaming, the Republican whip greeted the assembled few as he made his way to the presiding officer’s chair. Just before the hour, Senator John Cornyn of Texas sauntered in. Then everyone sat around chatting, as a few more tourists trickled into the upper decks. ![]() neared, the parliamentarian, two clerks, and a couple of other Senate officers took their places at the front of the empty chamber. But not everyone was out enjoying the recess.
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